Bloodlines
by Larania Drake
Summary: Rebirth, romance, and reunions
1. Chapter One

Bloodlines

Bloodlines

** **

Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z belongs to Akira Toriyama, Sailor Moon belongs to someone I don't remember how to spell, but is most definitely not me. I make no money from this at all.

Bardock sneered, watching the devastation to the fighters of the Dark Kingdom fall at the hands of the Moon Queen. In his arms he carried the all but dead princess, waiting to take her back to his crew's ship and their healing tanks. Yet…

He slowly descended to the ground, cradling his burden, and walked over to the valiant, dying Queen. Bardock's sensitive ears let him hear the soft rattle in her chest, the decreasing of her heartbeat.

Her crystal blue eyes opened painfully, and she reached out to her daughter.

"Serenity?" she breathed, and looked into the merciless eyes of her daughter's captor. Bardock felt a chill as those eyes hardened.

"Your mistress won't win," she rasped, and started to cough up blood. "Death will come for your kind like it came for mine. But unlike you, we face rebirth, while you will know only damnation."

"We don't really care about that," Bardock heard himself say back. "Just so long as we get paid."

She sneered, her chest heaving as she tried to laugh.

"And what price…" she coughed again," is that of your souls?"

"Your daughter. She'll be taken care of," he couldn't help but add. "No harm will come to her."

Her eyes blazed, even as the fire began to go out…

"I'll take care of her," he said, not knowing why… but something of the spirit of this brave person infected him. He couldn't let her die thinking that her daughter would be… abandoned.

"Sword," he barely heard. "Take it…"

Those eyes drove him to take the sword he'd found impaling the girl in his arms. It was like nothing he'd ever seen.

Turning back to the Queen, her eyes shown in triumph, before closing forever. Bardock stood there, watching in shock as her body faded away, disappearing as though it never existed. The once beautiful, now decimated, landscape seemed to wither even as he looked on- the soul that sustained it was gone.

The air leaked off the planet- and he rushed back to the vessel his team had been assigned, and to the healing tanks that would save their prize.

~*~*~*~*~*~
    
    Serenity awoke, suspended in clear fluid, with a breathing mask covering the lower part of her face. 
    
    Why wasn't she dead?
    
    She had taken the sword of Silver Imperiam Crystal and run it through her own heart, after seeing her beloved take the blow meant for her... and she chose
    
    to join him in death.
    
    How had she gotten there? Where was she? 
    
    Was this hell?
    
    "I see the little princess has come to," said a gruff voice, and Serenity's eyes widened as the liquid started to drain from the tank. Looking down, she saw the scar on her chest from the wound she had inflicted upon herself... and that she wasn't wearing any clothes. 
    
    The outside world was blurry from the glass in the tank, but that didn't stop her from hearing.
    
    "I don't see what the Ou wants with her. Look at her- she's a twig. There is no way she could be strong enough to have his brats," said a female voice.
    
    A snort.
    
    "Does it matter? She is a pretty little thing, maybe he just wants her for a toy."
    
    "Nah, did you see what her mother did to our employer? She wiped them out without trying. They got something we don't, that's for sure."
    
    "Yeah, but she's DEAD now, right?"
    
    "Give the brat Saiya-jin strength, and who knows what that kid could do."
    
    Her mother was dead... and she remembered what happened. A strange, spike haired brute sweeping in and taking the sword from her body as she lay dying.
    
    Her kingdom was gone.
    
    Tears stung her eyes, but that didn't stop her from straightening her shoulders, and clothing herself in all she had left; her dignity.
    
    "Who are you? What do you want with me?" she demanded as the tank she was in lifted above her head, leaving her standing there in front of them.
    
    "Feisty, ain't she?" said one, smirking at her. He was the one that had taken her!
    
    Glaring, her crescent moon flashed brightly as she met his gaze, and she could almost see him falter before it. Then he gathered himself to glare back.

"My name is Bardock," he answered. "We are Saiya-jins. We were hired to help that person, what's her name, Metallia, destroy your Kingdom. Our King's price was a strong mate for him. That's you, kid. He just lost his."

Serenity's face went purple with rage as he said that. Only one thing clicked in her mind at that point- she needed to die, and join her friends and family. So she ran at him, using what little skill she had learned, begged from Endymion. She threw herself at the spike haired monster that had destroyed all she loved, clawing like an enraged cat, spitting and hissing.

"STUPID BITCH!" a feminine voice said from behind her, but Bardock only caught her and laughed.

"Don't her fool you," he said to the dark haired female, who had nearly pounced Serenity herself. "That was a suicide charge. She knows she can't win."

"Bastard," Serenity snarled, struggling against him, wiggling out of his grip like she was oiled and ran, trying to find some way out.

"What the?" was the last thing she heard, before darkness claimed her again.

The next time she awoke, she was stretched out on a cot.

"My... head? Mother, have I been sick?" she asked softly, whimpering at the pain that sent white daggers behind her eyes as she reached up to touch her skull. A bump met her questing fingers.

"Well, it looks like the hell kitten has come back again," snorted a voice, and Serenity turned, wishing her memories were nothing but a dream...

But they weren't.

The female she had seen earlier was looking at her with new respect.

"Never thought you'd have it in you, kitten," she said, absently trimming her nails with a dagger, an eyebrow raised. "Attacking Commander Bardock like that. Stupid, of course. He's the best fighter here, even if he is third class." 

Serenity whimpered in lieu of answering, clutching her aching head.

"Here's food an' clothes, cat," the female said, tossing a blue bodysuit to her. "That pretty gown of yours is ruined. You might as well get used to Saiya-jin clothes anyways- they're all you are going to be wearing from now on."

"Why did you do this to us?" Serenity asked, finally getting her nerve together to sit up. Her stomach twisted unpleasantly, but she was able to get to the food and bodysuit.

"Girl, it was nothing personal. Metallia needed your kingdom destroyed; our king needed a Royal mate, one with strong enough blood that his brats will be able to destroy the guy who owns us. Like I said- it had to get done. We don't hate you, kid. Although I don't see what would make his majesty interested in you…" she snorted, saying without words what she thought of the Princess.

"Who owns you?" Serenity said, frowning, between bites as she wolfed down the food. It tasted differently than what she was used to, and some of the meat was raw, but she'd had stranger 'gourmet' cuisines. 

"Yeah… I guess you should know- it concerns you now. If you want to live, that is. Nasty ass bastard called Furiza, but the strongest guy around. He uses us to do his dirty work, we get paid, and he doesn't wipe us out. He wants the Prince, who's only three right now, to train." Her grimaced, again letting Serenity know her opinion on the matter.

"So- I'm a broodmare?" Serenity stated, trying to be calm. The woman shrugged.

"That's as good a way to put as any other," she answered. "I'm Seripa by the way. The others you'll meet later on. We have some mapping of uninhabited systems coming up- so it'll be about a month until we get back. Although Bardock wanted to go faster- his mate is expecting, and she doesn't bear well."

Serenity watched in bemusement as Seripa left the room…

To be continued!
    
     


	2. Chapter Two

Bloodlines 2

Bloodlines 2

** **

Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon do not belong to me, and I make no money from this at all.

Notes: Well, I'm going to leave the couple out for you to guess at. But you will be… surprised. (snickers)

Serenity stared at the walls of the room she had been left in, having paced all four steps of its length, and three of its width. If she made small steps. It was plain, gray metal, with a dim light over a mirror and sink, which was next to a toilet, next to her tiny cot. There was nothing to really bathe with.

She'd done just about everything she could think of to keep from going stir crazy. She's sang, she'd braided her hair up, taken it down and done just about every imaginable style, she done limited exercises, she told stories to herself, walked on her hands, meditated, but in the end, she'd fallen asleep.

The only times she's seen anyone where when they'd brought her food. As far as she was concerned, it was the only part of this mess that was tolerable- they piled her plate high with fairly tasty edibles. Not that she could always tell what they were.

Serenity sighed loudly, and blinked back tears, remembering all the comments her friends would kid her with about her appetite. It was a running joke- her court could eat as much as she did when they were hungry, but Serenity had always been eager to eat.

She bit her lip, fighting the deluge of memories as they hit. She needed to get out of there. Getting to her feet, she hopped to the door, and smashed the button with her fist, knowing it wouldn't open-

When it slid silently into the wall.

There she was, staring at the empty space of the door that had held her up until a few seconds ago. Not quite believing it, she put a hand through. Nothing happened.

Stepping across, she started to look around. She was obviously on some kind of ship- she'd been off planet enough to recognize the feel of space travel.

The odd part had been a few days ago, and she'd felt something akin to when she'd sneaked through the time portal to visit Sailor Pluto. It had been an odd, wrenching sensation, like she was being torn out of place.

There was a bend in the hallway, and she cautiously went around it…

"Hey, look! The hell kitten came out to play! Want some milk, kitty?" said a mocking voice, and Serenity automatically tensed, Her eyes landed on the group of people wearing armor, four men and one woman. Two she recognized, Seripa and Bardock.

"We thought you'd never come out. Too good for us third classers?' said a portly, mustached man, with flat black hair.

She blinked. "You mean it was NEVER locked?" she blurted, without thinking about it. This caused more uproarious laughter.

"What would we have to fear from you, kid? Like we told you, it was nothing personal. We have to get you there in one piece, and you need to be halfway healthy. What'd be the point of locking you up?" answered Bardock, before handing her a roast leg of something. Not quite knowing what to do, she took it.

"Good girl. You're too thin. My mate told me that skinny girls didn't have as much luck having brats. So eat. We'll start your training later."

"TRAINING?" Serenity shrieked, temper rising. "In what, how to please a man in bed? I'm no damned WHORE!" 

More laughter.

"Well, for one, that would not work really well, would it? Toma and Seripa are mates; Panboukin doesn't like girls, and () couldn't care less. So there is no one here to teach you. Nah- we can't really spare anyone to take care of you, and you DO need to get the kind of stamina needed to keep up with the king. Which, if what I hear is true, is not easy. Plus, we don't know what Furiza will do if, more probably when, he finds out about you. You need to at least have a fighting chance, girl."

The Moon Princess fumed. "My name is SERENITY. Not girl, or kid, or hellcat! SERENITY!"

"Kay, kitten, whatever you say."

She yelled and charged him again, and Bardock only laughed and tossed her over his shoulder. Her tiny fists rapped against his armor, doing nothing put bruising her hands.

He casually put her back in a chair, and stuck the drumstick she'd dropped in her mouth.

"Kitten, you will eat, and then Seripa is going to train you. Got that?"

Serenity couldn't answer, because her mouth was full of meat. Snarling, she started to gnaw on the bone, drawing more laughter from the group.

"Why do I have to be the one to train her?" complained Seripa, looking up from her cards.

"Because you're the only female here!"

"You're only saying that because I was winning!"

"I am not!" Bardock snarled, and huffed, looking at his cards.

"All right, all right, we'll deal her in," he said, and cards were put in front of the still chewing princess.

"You're training starts tomorrow, kitten," he told her, and everyone nodded.

~*~*~*~*~

Serenity sat back in her cot, after her fifth day of training, thinking hard about some things.

These people where NOTHING like she's expected.

They seemed cruel, brutish, without thought. 

Now, she knew that wasn't quite true. They had not treated her harshly, as she would have expected them too. In fact, they treated her with the same kind of comfortable, gruff respect that was given Bardock, even if she was watched as a prisoner. When they related tales of their purging missions, it was with the kind of voice one would use to tell about a sport. 

Back home, this would be deplorable. Yet, she could see they simply had never been taught to consider other living things as worthwhile. 

Among each other and those more powerful, they were capable of great caring and friendship. She could see that whenever Seripa and Toma interacted, like a loving, kind couple, even though they hid it well. Bardock's love for his mate was there whenever he spoke of her. They worked as a full team, one that took up where the others lacked, and helping each other in turn. Their willingness to let her in on their games was still surprising-but she'd had fun. They were almost like her old court…

She again swallowed the ever-present threat of tears, closing her eyes tightly.

They'd spoken truthfully- there was never any real malice behind their actions. They were efficient business folk.

And as Toma had pointed out…

"Be grateful it was us, kid. We don't play with those we kill. We just clear the planet out and are done with it. If it had been Furiza… you're folk'd be worse than dead."

The scary thing was, she could see what he was talking about. From what she'd heard about this overlord "Furiza", he made Metallia look sweet as a summer day.

"They aren't evil," she muttered. "Misguided, yes… But not evil. They aren't BAD. They just… are a passionate, striving people who don't have anything to put that energy to, right now, other than killing. Gods, what they could BECOME."

She sighed… wishing they'd been able to see the beauty of her home, appreciate it, before it had been destroyed.

Home…

Oddly, it was that one word that finally broke her. Her eyes burned painfully, her throat seeming to close, as she felt the hot liquid streak down her cheeks. 

More and more…

She couldn't stop herself from sobbing, and rolled over, curling up in a ball, no longer able to put off the mourning and rage inside her. So she cried.

So caught up in the memories- the stolen and given kisses with Endymion, playing games with her friends, listening to her mother teaching her of state's craft, she didn't hear he door open.

She did feel a strange, soft brush against her face. Opening her eyes, she saw a brown furry something coil its way back around Bardock's waist, as he kept a carefully blank expression.

"What's your problem?" he said, his arms crossed… and that brown thing seemed to pause as she watched it. It twitched back towards her, again stroking her cheek, the coarse, dark guard hairs tickling gently.

"Nothing, Bardock," she whispered, turning her face away. She didn't want this man to see her weak- not ever.

"I told your mother you'd be looked after. That's what I'm doing, looking after you."

Her head snapped around at that, and she stared at him like he'd grown another head.

"I came to tell you we'll be making out first planet fall in a couple of hours. We'll finally get some FRESH meat," he said- but Serenity was able to hear all the things he wasn't saying.

"You will cook it, won't you?" she said, trying to sound dismayed.

He just sneered. "What, little miss princess can't eat fresh meat?"

Sniffing, she put her nose in the air. "Do not speak so to your betters, Commander," she chuckled wetly, and Bardock smirked.

"Of course, your highness, anything you say, your highness… You sure the air of this world will be to your liking? Maybe we should perfume it, your highness," he said, bowing out of the room.

Serenity watched him go, the door sliding shut, and suddenly- things weren't quite so bad.

To be continued!


	3. Chapter Three

Bloodlines 3

Bloodlines 3

** **

Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon do not belong to me, and I make no money from this fic at all.

"Good going, kitten," Serenity heard someone say, as she swept through the sky of the planet they'd just reached. Her long silver hair swept out behind her, and she laughed in delight.

"She's like a kid with a new toy," complained Toma, standing by Seripa and snorting loudly.

"Hey, you remember the first time you flew?" she retorted, and sighed at his blank look. "My point exactly. We don't remember it!"

"Females," he grumbled, and glanced over at their commander, who was watching the antics of their 'prisoner' intently.

"Is it me, or does Bardock seem… more than a little attached to the little bit?"

Seripa snickered. "Of course he is. Stupid guy has too much a sense of honor not to. Besides, who was it that was giving kitten tips on how to beat Bardock at chess?"

(ignore the oddness of them playing chess. They just do)

"Yeah, but she didn't need them."

The mated couple just looked at each other, knowing that they had both become fond of the Princess. You really couldn't help it- despite her periodic bursts of temper or depression, which was more than understandable, she was NOTHING like the royal family of Vegeta-sei.

"Dammit… you know she's never BEEN with anybody? Sure, she had a boyfriend, she talks about him a lot, but I really wish we didn't have to turn her over to the King, at least for that," Seripa muttered, and Toma curled his tail around her waist to comfort her. He frowned at the thought. 

"We have our duty… but I'm more worried about how Bardock's going to take that than anything," he answered her, and she nodded. The Commander was unreasoningly fond of the girl.

"He's more worried about his mate," Seripa said. "She's due any time now. We've got, what, two weeks until we get back? Its probably a good thing we're so far out right now- remember LAST time?"

"Oh, Kami, don't remind me!"

~*~*~*~*~*~

Serenity felt a Saiya-jin like smirk on her lips as she looked across the table at her dinner companion and opponent. 

As it seemed to always be there on that ship, there was food stacked on the table, but in the midst of it was a checkered black and white board with carved pieces strewn about. 

"Check," she said calmly, moving her queen to take his, and leaving it with a clear path to his king.

Bardock, who had been taking in the middle of gulping his drink- water, truth be told; he didn't drink when he was on a mission, choked and started to hack, eyes wide as he looked at the board.

"How'd you do that?" he snarled, moving his king out of the way.

"Checkmate," Serenity laughed, getting him the way she had intended from the beginning- with a pawn.

"I should NEVER have taught you that trick," he muttered, glaring at the board like it had offended him, and thumbed his nose.

"Hah, that was only after I got you with a knight," she laughed, taking a drink of her own- milk.

"Hah right back, kitten," he growled. "this makes us even."

It was about two planets and a month later after Serenity had been taken. Her flying lesson on planet that morning had gone well, and she was in high spirits.

Then she noticed something odd cross Bardock's face.

"Are you okay?" 

"My mate- she…" Suddenly he gasped in pain and doubled over, agony writ in every line.

"BARDOCK?" she yelled, rushing over to him, and getting him out of the chair, trying to get him where to lie down.

There was a moment of concern on everyone else's face, until they broke out laughing.

"What the hell is so funny?" she yelled, and the pain seemed to pass, and Bardock straightened, panting for air.

"His mate must have gone into labor," Toma chuckled and Bardock glared at him evilly.

"You won't be laughing when it's Seripa," he snarled, and suddenly doubled over again, crying out and falling to his side. 

Serenity stood there, letting him drop, in shock.

"What's going on?" she said, wondering if her eyes would pop out.

"One of the reasons that bonding is left to the lower classes," Toma said, and went over to pick Bardock up. He took him back to his room, and dumped him on the cot, looking at the sweating and writing form, who had taken a rather odd position- he was unconsciously echoing the posture of his mate, legs spread and trying to push at something.

"You feel things like this, what your mate is going through. In Bardock's case, right now he is going through labor with her. The up side to it is that you know where they are, how they are doing… its really fun in bed. The down is this, the sharing of pain, and if one dies, the other isn't likely to survive it. It hurts too much."

Serenity heard all this, and started to chuckle. She couldn't help it- the idea of a man going through labor was too funny!

"Ooh, Serenity, when its your turn, I'll be laughing at you, just you watch!" Bardock yelled, as the pain passed again, and he fell back limply, going completely lax and just trying to breathe.

"What are you going to name this one?" Toma asked, leaning against a wall.

"I wanted to name him Kakarrot, but Pimun wanted Turles- and she'll probably get her way again," he said, cracking open an eye.

"How many children do you have?" Serenity asked, sitting on the floor and watching curiously.

"Just one, a boy, Raditz," he said with pride. "When they tested him, he had a power level of a first class warrior- maybe even an elite."

"Yeah, and you whined like a baby the whole way through," Toma add, then snickered. "And it was impossible to live with you after that." Turning to Serenity, he added," You'll note that Raditz is now a teenager. Which shows how eager Bardock was to go through this again."

"You- ahhh!" Bardock roared, and started to do a breathing exercise.

Serenity winced, and went to get him some more water, and a cloth to put on his head.

Hours passed, then a day, and Serenity kept looking after Bardock, especially as it became clear that something was going wrong with the delivery.

"Your husband is back," Seripa kidded him, as the princess again came back with water and towels to clean the commander off.

Both growled at her.

Seripa shrugged and left.

"Come on, Bardock, you've been hurt worse before, haven't you?" she asked the scarred man, and he didn't answer. His eyes were fixed on something she couldn't see, and suddenly a massive seizure went through his body, and his eyes rolled up in his head. 

Then he went still.

"Bardock?" she whispered, patting his face. His skin had started to cool, and after his sweating so hard, it was frightening.

"BARDOCK?" she yelled, and tossed the water she'd been holding in his face. Sputtering, he woke, and started gulping air.

"Did it get to be too much for you?" she asked, trying to make light of it- then she noticed the tears in the corners of his eyes.

"She's gone," he said flatly.

"Oh, Kami, Bardock, I am so sorry," she said, wincing as a deep throated howl erupted from him. "Oh, my friend…" she whispered, as he continued to keen for his mate.

There was a rush of energy and pouding feet, as the various members of the crew managed to run or fly to his room.

"What happened?" screamed a voice, and Serenity turned, tears in her own eyes as she felt the pain her friend was in.

"His, his mate died," she whimpered, and Toma was putting his hands on her shoulders to lead her away.

"We have to go," he choked, and Serenity frowned. 

"Why? Why are you leaving him? He needs you right now!"

"No… what he needs is to be alone, to do what he needs to," said Seripa, and Serenity struggled as they tried to get her leave.

"NO! He needs us! What do you mean, what he needs to?"

"He's lost his mate- I told you what happens. He can't keep going now- leave him to die in peace."

"But we can't just LET him die!" she screamed, and tried to run back. She was caught, and Toma forced her too look at him.

"You want him to live like THAT the rest of his life?" he said harshly, and she looked at the wailing, agonized body on the bed.

"I… I…"

~*~*~*~*~*~

Serenity hid inside her room, listening to the howls of anguished howls that seemed to go on for hours. Each time, a bit of her soul seemed to shred.

Then they stopped.

"No," she said softly, and sat up, going to the door. It opened.

Making sure the coast was clear, she looked to see if anyone else was about. Not seeing anyone, she dashed to Bardock's quarters.

The door opened smoothly, and she looked inside, and moaned. Bardock was lying on his cot inside, covered in a blanket, his armor long removed.

He was so still… too still.

"Don't you DARE die on me," she said in a low, intense voice. "I need you, you idiot. Stay alive."

Putting her hands on the side of his head, she closed her eyes, and reached out, searching for the flickering flame of his soul.

It was almost gone… terror gripped her as she reached for it, breathing on the embers, coaxing it back.

But it didn't want to.

_Let me go!_ He seemed to cry, and she stubbornly refused. 

_Come back! _She demanded, and he looked at her, lost. 

_It hurts,_ he told her. _She is no longer there, and the hole in my heart will never be filled again._

_Then I will fill it,_ she heard herself answer, and found that place where his mate had been, twining heart and mind and soul with his.

There was an almost audible SNAP, like the realigning of a dislocated joint.

"Serenity?"

"Serenity?" she heard again, and she opened her eyes, to feel thick, strong fingers against her face.

"Bardock?" she asked, overjoyed that he had lived. He had sat up, and she buried her face in his chest, arms clasping tightly around him.

"Why? We can't- I mean, you realize what you have done?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"I couldn't let you die, Bardock. I don't know why, but I couldn't," she said, and it was muffled in his chest.

The warrior sighed, and nuzzled her silver hair. "Silly girl, I can't stop the king from taking you later…"

"I know."

"But-"

He was cut off when she put a finger across his lips. "We have both lost what we held dear. We might loose each other later. Yet, for right now, we can comfort each other. Please?" she added at the end, shifting so she straddled his lap. Bardock couldn't suppress a groan.

"Kitten, you have ANY idea what you are doing to me?"

She smiled softly and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against his naked chest, and brushing her lips against his.

Pulling away, they shared another look, before he kissed her again, this time forcing his tongue between her pliant lips, and down her throat.

Serenity shivered as his hands started to roam over her body, and tore open her body suit. She giggled at that as he snarled against her mouth, and ended the kiss, his mouth roaming down her throat to the crook of her shoulder. 

Bardock was intoxicated. She was nothing like a Saiya-jin- her scent was sweet and fresh, skin smooth and supple, and silky as flower petals. His hands went up to cup the soft mounds of her breasts, finding her nipples with his thumbs and caressing them. He couldn't help himself as he tasted her skin, and her soft little whimpers were music to his ears.

"Mmmm? Ahhh… hmm…"

He shifted a thigh until it was between her legs, spreading her thighs apart as pushed her backwards, and he licked her chest down to her breasts, taking a rosy nipple into his mouth.

Serenity couldn't help it as she jumped, and the grinding of his thigh against her groin made her feel… She could tell she was wet, could feel heat building up like a crazed itch between her legs.

"Bardock," she mumbled, and grinned, feeling the wonderful suckling on her chest… and ran her hands down to his tail. She'd seen how sensitive they were. Stroking it, she heard him gasp, and his teeth grazed her, causing a delightful shock of pain that made the pleasure more intense.

Her other hand was reached down to his groin- and she grabbed his cocked. He snapped his head up to look her in the face. She smiled sexily back, and kept on stroking his two sensitive places.

Both of them had started to rock against each other, but then Bardock became tired of waiting. His fingers delved between her legs, and he groaned when he realized how wet she was.

"Serenity? Are you ready for this?" 

Serenity's eyes met his with as fierce a hunger as any Saiya-jin's- she needed this. To feel him touch her. Slide in, and break her virginity, and fill her to the brim, and pound into her heat…

Lying submissively, she put her hands behind her head, and spread her legs as wide as she could. He was there- his hardness against her vagina.

He loomed over her, barely slipping in, and kissed her deeply, before pushing his hips forward, hard.

She screamed into his mouth, and tossed her head back. Serenity had know it would hurt… and she rode it out.

But she hadn't expected him to hold completely still while she adjusted. She hadn't thought he would kiss her softly while she leaked a few tears, and was completely surprised when he asked her if she was ready to go on.

Nodding, she held onto him tightly, as slowly started out, and worked his way up in speed.

"Oh, Serenity," he said breathlessly, gliding in and out, over and over, feeling her inner muscles pull him as deep as they could. She mewed, head thrown back, panting as she loved. She could feel a tension start to build inside her, and she thrust back against him with all her power, frantically trying to reach something…

Then it hit. 

All she could do was shake as pleasure overwhelmed her, and she sobbed out her lover's name as he kept moving, which wasn't for very long. With a shout, he came, and she moaned as his seed flooded her womb.

"Bardock?" she murmured sleepily.

"Hush, kitten. Sleep. We'll figure out what to do later…"

To be continued!


	4. Chapter Four

Bloodlines 4 Kwannon Lory Wyvern Normal Kwannon Lory Wyvern 2 4488 2001-11-08T02:01:00Z 2001-11-08T02:01:00Z 3 1451 8275 68 16 10162 9.2720 

Bloodlines 4

****

Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon do not belong to me, and I make no money from this fic.

            Serenity shivered, tears going down her face again, this time for a different reason than.

            Bardock was holding her tenderly, her head cradled against her chest, as they enjoyed their last few days together. Since they had been bonded, it had been almost impossible to get them apart, even though they knew what would happen once they reached Planet Vegeta.

            "Gah, talk about your sickly romances," Toma muttered to Seripa, who promptly hit him in the head. "They act so gooey…" 

            "Yeah, and I remember how a certain mate of mine acted when WE bonded, bone head," she snarled back, trying to keep back her own ambiguous feelings.

            On one hand, she was overjoyed that they hadn't lost Bardock, and that kitten was going to be getting some experience with a caring male. On the other- she knew what bonding entailed. Serenity would NOT be able to… enjoy sex with another male while they were bonded. Oh, sure, a female could be raped an impregnated that way. It was another reason that the elites had denounced bonding- males and females could not breed for strength. 

            "This is one hell of a mess," she muttered, crossing her arms. "Of course, the girl would STILL be mooning over that Endymion guy even if this hadn't happened, she'd still be getting raped… And I don't think the King will give a fat damn about her being bonded to Bardock, so long as she produces. I won't say anything else, might get my head taken off for treason…"

            "Who's gonna hear?" Toma answered, and she sneered.

            "I know, I know- but damnit, Toma, she's too damned INNOCENT to do this to. I feel like… like I'm sending my own cub to a Furiza."

            "Yeah- and the King actually did."

            Both of them shuddered, fearing what the Prince would be going through. It was well known the kind of perversions that went on in the Cold Court. Yet, the King had ignored it.

            This did not bode well for an innocent outlander in the Saiya-jin court.

            "Still, do we have a choice in the matter?"

            "Nope."

~*~*~*~*~

            Serenity scrubbed her skin ruthlessly. She was going to be meeting the King later that day. She had been informed, abruptly, that she would not be 'married' to him. She was a foreigner, and thus, did not have the right to be married to anyone.

            She shuddered. This man, she had been told, had given away his own child to a being that destroyed worlds on a whim. It was terrifying.

            What would he do to her?

            Maybe she was right, in her first impression that Saiya-jins were brutes?

            No; she could tell through her bond with Bardock that it was not the case. 

            She shivered- the leaders of the Silver Millennium were all decent, caring people who looked after their subjects tenderly, compassionately. While they were not blind to reality, they did their best to make sure they held to their ideals of peace, and their people were almost dared to live up to those expectations. 

            This led to a people who, out of respect, they obeyed monarchs' laws, and out of love for those leaders, cared for each other. Here was very different.

            Her musing was interrupted as a servant, another alien, walked into the bathing room. 

            "Your clothing is ready, Madam," he, she, it, Serenity couldn't tell, told her.

            Nodding, she left the room, wishing she didn't feel like she was heading towards her doom.

~*~*~*~*~

            Serenity stood, with her head held high, as she was led into the presence of the King of the Saiya-jins. It was all she could do not to spew up her last meal- terror wracked her with nausea. 

            The clothing she was wearing was not the typical Saiya-jin armor, but instead a flimsy silk satin gown, which was barely opaque. Her hair was loose and almost trailed the ground, it was so long, and her face was made up like a trollop. 

            It was humiliating, the looks she was receiving from the others in the court, leering at her like she was a… a…

            She couldn't make herself think it, as she finally stood before the king.

            He was a handsome man, in a severe way, part of her noted. Yet, that was lost in the sight of the hard lines etched on his face, his eyes squinted a bit too much, and sharp as obsidian.

            He's looking at me like a side of meat, she thought despairingly.

            She bit the inside of her cheek until blood flooded her mouth, but she didn't break down. She didn't cry as she longed to. But she did shudder, as the King raked his gaze down her once more.    

            Beside him was a little boy, whose face was so similar to the King's that she knew he must be his son. He glared it her with undisguised hostility, hatred, even.

            She held their gazes, refusing to look away.

            "She's spirited, this one," Vegeta no Ou said slowly. "Good hips… she'll nurse well, too. She'll breed easily."

            Rage mixed with her terror at those words.

            "I don't see why you have chosen HER to breed my… replacement, father," sneered the little boy, and Serenity was hard put to keep from throttling him. His tone conveyed such contempt. His eyes were so old, especially for one so young.

             This is my stepson… no, not that. I am going to be a whore to this man. A bitch, a mare… 

            Utter hopelessness welled up inside her, and she wondered if she would be able to find something sharp, a rope, drown herself, anything….

            _Don't you dare!_ Screamed a voice inside her mind, and her eyes moved, seeing a familiar group of people- and Bardock.

            Her breath caught in her throat, and she knew, at least for now, that she was not alone…

            Until-

            "Well- let's get this over with, shall we?" said Vegeta no Ou, and Serenity felt a part of her soul die at his tone…

~*~*~*~*~*~

            The morning broke, cold and clear, and Serenity wanted nothing else so much as to die. Sobbing, she got to her feet and walked over to a mirror, and looked at what had happened to her body.

            Blood ran from numerous wounds, her nipples bitten and mauled, her lips split and bruises, massive, ugly, multicolored bruises, marked her fair skin. Walking this far had been pure anguish. 

            Serenity had lost her innocence with her Kingdom, but last night had been hell. What he'd done, what he'd done… she bit her lip and whimpered loudly, mentally begging the mirror to be lying to her, that this was all some kind of terrible dream.

            Yet the image of the battered, tear streaked face did not change. 

            With a howl, her fist shot forward, shattering the mirror, slivers of glass embedding themselves in her hand, leaving ribbons of blood. Staggering, she fell to her knees, huddling there on the floor. She hurt, oh, how she hurt. 

            Serenity knew, that if she were to go to the King's bed again, she'd go insane. This was nothing like the passionate sharing she'd had with Bardock. This was obscene.

            She couldn't let it happen again…

            Picking up a shard of glass, she stared at it intently; suddenly realizing it might hold the answer. Angling it so that the edge was against her wrists, she pressed down, not even flinching as the edge bit her wrist.

            **DON'T!**

A voice screamed inside her head, and suddenly she found herself stopping, almost flinging the shard away.

            _Bardock? I'm sorry! I wasn't strong enough. Not for my mother, my Kingdom, or my betrothed...Not you. Please forgive me…_

**SERENITY! PLEASE!**

_I'm sorry…_

~*~*~*~*~

            Bardock ran as fast as he could, feeling the life ebb from the person that had become the center of his universe. Behind him, he could feel the pounding feet of his crew and the royal guards that were following them.

            He didn't know how he was doing it, but some part of him was willing strength to her, life to the faltering heart. Crashing through the door, he looked down to see her lying there, naked, in a pool of her own blood.

            For precious moments all he could do was stare, until Seripa kicked him in the shins, and knelt in the blood to clamp her hands down on the ugly, gushing wound. Breathing deeply, Bardock started shouting orders for them to get a medic there, and no one thought to disobey. The expression on his face promised quick but painful death to anyone who didn't follow his commands, even those that would normally have taken offense at being ordered by a third class warrior.  

            No one thought to question, later, why he knew what was going on, or what had actually happened…

            No one really wanted to know.

~*~*~*~*~*~

            Bardock stood outside the recovery room where his Serenity was suspended in a tank, bubbles ever so often coming from her facemask. She looked so frail…

            He pressed his hands to the glass of the window he gazed through, wishing he could be closer to her at that moment.

            Never before had he considered killing his liege before.

            Never had he wanted to destroy what his people were. 

            However, the sight of his mate lying in her own blood made flames rage in his mind. Swallowing hard, he got up to turn around.

            "Sir? Bardock? You said you wanted to be alerted to the woman's condition?"

            Bardock whirled around and grabbed the man's collar and had lifted him two feet off the floor before he could say another word.

            "Hey, Bardock," Toma said, hands out in a placating gesture. "He can't tell us anything unless you put him down…"

            Growling softly, he did so, putting the nurse back on his feet.

            He coughed. "Yes, well, apparently the king, like most of his line, is still incredibly fertile, because the woman is pregnant already."

            Bardock rocked back on his feet, wondering why he felt like someone was squeezing his chest. His eyes were wide as he looked through the window as Serenity and back. He could feel the urge to destroy, to maim, rose up inside him. No one had the right to do that to his mate….

            Then he throttled the urge down.

            "Come on, we are going," he told his crew, not even looking at them as he walked down the halls. They trotted after him in shock.

            "You're just going to leave?" Seripa asked, shocked, trying to get him to look at her. He refused to even acknowledge her presence.

            "Yes. There is nothing I can do for her now- and if I stay, I'll wind up killing my own king…"

To be continued!


	5. Chapter Five

Bloodlines 5

****

Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon belong to someone other than me, and I make no money from this work of fanfiction.

            Months had passed since that first, awful night, and Serenity was curled up in her quarters.

            Outside was the red, desolate landscape of Vegetasei. Serenity stared at it blankly, her arms wrapped around her swollen belly.

            "Why, Bardock?" she whispered, rocking back and forth in her window seat. Why had he saved her? She could feel him still, even though he was on the other side of the galaxy. Even as her world had changed, she could sense the confusion that had rocked his world. Suddenly, the solid and unchanging universe didn't exist, and in its place was a puzzle box neither really understood.

            She shivered. For all that she had been taught to revere life, the thought of whose child this was sent chills down her spine.

            "I wish I could be rid of it," she muttered, making sure it was too quiet for the monitors to pick up. Ever since her failed attempt at suicide, she had been under constant watch. Bowing her head, hot tears once again fell down her face, splashing against her curled up knees.

            Her hands shook and she cried herself to sleep, once again…

~*~*~*~*~*~

            _"Hi!" said a cheerful voice, and Serenity didn't know where she was. _

_            Looking around, she found she was somewhere… green. Her eyes widened as she saw the thick grass beneath her feet, almost screaming with joy. It seemed like forever since she had seen grass!_

_            She blinked, realizing she was wearing a totally ridiculous outfit- a pleated skirt, which went past her knees, a long sleeved blouse with a big bow in the middle and a Sailor collar. _

_            "I looked better in the Saiya-jin armor…" she heard herself say, and looked up when she realized someone was speaking to her._

_            "Bardock? BARDOCK!" she yelled, and ran to him, wrapping her arms around him and crying into his chest. _

_            "Miss? Miss, my name's not Bardock. It's Son Goku," she heard him say gently. "But, I think Vegeta said he had been my father…"_

_            She looked up, sniffing, and blinked, and narrowed her eyes in disbelief._

_            "Are you Raditz, then?" It had to be, because Bardock had two sons, and Turles had been sent away as soon as he had been born, which was barely four months again._

_            "Me? No, I don't have near enough hair. Both he, and Vegeta, called me Kakarrot," the young man told her. _

_            Serenity was taken aback, and tilted her head to the side. No… This person looked just like Bardock, save his lack of a scar on his face. His skin was paler- his eyes, his eyes were softer, the look of a person who had been loved his whole life, and given it back to the world. Someone who loved life itself. What Bardock could have, should have been._

_            She blinked at the name. "How can you be his son?"_

_            The young man scratched his head and smiled. "Well, Prince Vegeta said I was sent off planet right before Vegetasei was destroyed. Um, lemme think… Oh, yeah, I was born a few days before that!"_

_            Serenity blinked. Then blinked again._

_            The innocence in his face… _

_            "Where were you sent?"_

_            "Earth!" he said happily. _

_            Thoughts flew rapidly through her mind as absurd conclusions, conclusions she KNEW were right, came forward._

_            "Who was your mother?" she asked softly._

_            "Um, I don't know. Vegeta never mentioned that."_

_            Serenity found herself smiling now, and put a hand to his cheek. _

_            "I'm sure she would be very proud of you," she whispered._

_            "I hope so," Goku said seriously, and looked sad. "I wish I could have known them both."_

_            "They are, Kakarrot, they are," she said, and kissed his cheek, stepping away from him. The young man stared at her._

_            "Hey, where're you-"_

~*~*~*~*~

            Serenity awoke, suddenly, feeling something kindle where she thought was only ashes left in her soul.

            Vegeta no Ou had not won. This child was NOT his…

            It was Bardock's. 

            An act of will was all that kept her from laughing in joy, hugging herself all the tighter. Wonder filled her. That young man, he'd been everything she could have wished- she'd sensed his strength, his love of life… A perfect, wonderful blending of a Saiya-jin's strength, and a Lunarian's purity and love.

            He'd also told her what would happen. Somehow, Vegetasei would be destroyed. Those thoughts left an odd, dead feeling inside her. She didn't mourn- not after what this world done to her- but that all the potential of this place had been wasted. That was where the tragedy lied.

            The news of her own death didn't disturb her in the least. Her physical death was only a matter of time. She'd stopped living after the destruction of her home.

            "At least I know what to name you…" she whispered softly, and rubbed her belly, sudden love welling up inside her. Funny, now that she wasn't fighting it, it was so wonderful to love what her body housed.

            "I can't tell anyone, either," she said, in the language of the Moon and barely moving her lips. 

"Bardock…" she heard herself sigh, and once again, looked at the bleak and unforgiving landscape outside her window. "I wish you knew what was going on… I wish I could save you…"

~*~*~*~*~

            "I should kill you, you know," said a young, high-pitched voice from behind her. Turning, Serenity saw Vegeta no Ouji standing there, arms crossed, his perpetual scowl making his young face old.

            "Why? I have done nothing to you," she answered, attempting to keep her face neutral.

            "You are polluting are bloodline," he said, his frown deepening. "You are creating my replacement. Father will devote his attention to his new son, and forget about me…" he muttered that last bit, like he was ashamed…

            Serenity stood there for a moment, shock warring with anger and sadness. This boy had been all but abandoned, allowed only to visit the world of his birth, with a father who obviously didn't give a damn…

            How could she hate him? Pity welled up instead, for a child who had had his innocence stripped away.

            "Killing me won't change what your father did to you. I am no longer alive; all I do is carry this child within me. I don't want to hate you- and I don't want you to hate me. I had no more choice in this than you did, when you were given to Furiza."

            That last part had struck a nerve. Vegeta's head had snapped up and his eyes had widened impossibly. For a moment, he was no longer the Prince of All Saiya-jins, but a lost and lonely, hurting little boy. 

            Dammit, it just wasn't _fair._ Why did he have to suffer? How old was he? Three? Five? He couldn't be any older, despite the age of his eyes. The poor baby…

            She didn't know where the impulse came from. She didn't know why, but she got down on a knee and spread her arms to him, eyes pleading with him to accept what she was offering- comfort, and a sanctuary from the universe, at least for a moment.

            It looked like for a moment she had succeeded. The boy had taken one step towards her, and shifted his weight to take another. His lip trembled- and he turned and ran.

            Serenity stared at the boy's back, tears filling her own eyes. Bowing her head, she curled her arms around her middle, and stood there, wishing there was more she could do.

~*~*~*~*~*~

            Time had a strange effect on a person, when one had nothing really to live for. The moment seemed to stretch forever, but at the same time, days, weeks, months, seemed to speed up. 

            She had barely been showing the last time she had seen the Ouji, the next time, she was wandering the halls of the palace. It was one of the few things she had the freedom to do, because there was pretty much no way she could hurt herself. 

            Sometimes she had wandered into the training halls. It was interesting to watch, part of her noted, but that was in the gyms of the lower level fighters. First class and elites had lost much of their playfulness, and devoted themselves to nothing but getting stronger.

            Yet again, she had found her way there, and heard a familiar voice.

            Looking down, she was in one of the upper tiers of the stadium, and sat. The boy was incredible to watch…

            Blinking, she saw the face of the young man he was sparring against, and that he looked…

            "Raditz, is that the best you can do?" sneered the Prince, and Serenity stared, what had happened clicking in her head.

            "Bardock's eldest?" she muttered, peering down at him. He DID have a lot of hair…

            It was currently in a tail, hanging down his back as he fought, and she could see the training his father had given him, and she smiled faintly.

            "My son will be a great warrior someday," she murmured, oddly happy. "A true champion of Justice, and love…"

            She watched for a long time- she really had little else to do, but started to note something odd. The little Prince seemed to have dark splotches all over him. Purpling bruises and gold spots, along with pale lines covered his skin.

            Scars.

            She clenched her teeth, nails digging into her hands from where her hands had curled into fists.

            Then something entered the gym. Something evil.

            Looking down, an odd, purple, pink and white creature, tiny and frail looking, with horns and a tail entered, flanked by a blue green alien, and puffer fish looking one. All movement stopped with their entry.

            The gym had been pretty much abandoned to the prince and Raditz, but even the few remaining watchers scurried away when they saw aliens enter. They knew what was coming, even if Serenity did not.

            The delicate seeming creature walked over to the Prince, who gamely stood his ground.

            "Well done, little monkey," he cooed, patting his spiky hair. "Soon you will be ready for full time service to me…"

            Serenity watched, confused, as Vegeta went pale. Fear radiated off him in waves, though valiantly he tried to hide it.

            "Shall we see how far you have improved?" The monster leered at the little boy, who got into a fighting stance. She noticed that he was quick to tuck his tail away.

            Serenity swallowed hard, her mouth going dry as she watched the youngster get toyed with, driven beyond his strength- and then beaten to an inch with his life. Blood stained the floor, making the once brilliant white surface an ugly red.

            "This has to stop, he'll kill him," she whispered, shaking with fear. There had to be something she could do…

            Then the monster was looming over the semi-conscious Prince, licking his lips in a way that turned Serenity's blood cold- because it reminded her of the way that King Vegeta had looked at her…

            Without though, she had summoned the Silver Crystal, and willed the Furiza creature away.

            He was thrown back, and looked around, not seeing or sensing the Lunar energy that pushed him away from the injured boy.

            "What the hell?" Furiza screamed, looking around, wondering what power could possibly have thwarted him.

            He looked up, and the only person to be paying any attention to him, was a girl, who was staring furiously back.

            "And who is this?"

            The prince looked up. "No one. Just a high priced whore of my father's."

            For a moment, the two stared at each other: One, the champion of love and all that was good, the other, a symbol of evil.

            Serenity stood up, showing her belly, and walked down to face the tyrant.

            "My, you are a brave little thing for a brothel girl, aren't you?" he mocked. Then he looked above her eyes…

            The upturned crescent that graced her forehead was glowing brightly, and Serenity paced towards him, pinning him with her gaze.

            He chuckled, suddenly feeling a trickle of cold that oozed down his spine when she didn't react. She regally walked over to the prince, standing protectively over him.

            "Well, two whores. What a scene…"

            "You will never hurt someone like this again," she pronounced, and Furiza suddenly felt like the weight of the universe itself was pressing down on him. For the first time, he felt real fear.

            "You are nothing, little girl," he threatened. He wanted to turn away, blink, anything to get away from her burning eyes.

            She said nothing, but stared back at him.

            He tried to throw a ki blast at- and it dissipated harmlessly.

            As for Serenity… she felt like she was being led, called. She was a vehicle for something greater right then, and there was nothing this petty little warlord could do to her.

            "Who- what… are you?" he hissed, backing into a wall.

            "Who… am… I? I am something you can never destroy. I am the champion of justice. I am the hope of the Universe. I am Hikari no Tenshi. I am truth. Ally to good… and your worst nightmare."

            Swallowing, Furiza didn't know where this horrible terror came from. He just knew that he had stared into the face off what would destroy him. 

            "Don't kill me… please?" he whispered.

            "You don't have to worry about that. It's not my job. But my child will." She rested her hands on her belly. "Someday, Furiza, you will damn yourself to the point where not even I could forgive you. A child of the Moon and the Saiya-jins will bring about your end, and you shall know the terror you have brought to others."

            Furiza stared at her gravid middle, and suddenly shuddered, running like a terrified rabbit. His guards followed.

            Turning, Serenity knelt to the little prince, healing his wounds, while Raditz came to stare at her in awe.

            "I can't stop him from doing anything else to you," she whispered, a hand on his thick, flaming locks. "But he will never be able to rape you again."

            "You protected me," he whispered. "Why?"

            "Because you are a child, who is not at fault. I hope that some day, you will be able to know love, and give it back." She stood, and looked at Raditz.

            "You are Bardock's son?" she asked faintly. He nodded.

            "You… you are just breeding my replacement!" the little boy quavered, getting to his feet, his tail lashing. "You just want to get on my good side!"

            Serenity shook her head. "I might, if this was your brother I am carrying…"

            Both males whipped their heads around in shock. "What??"

            Smiling faintly, Serenity tilted her head to the side, revealing a scarred over mark. A bite. 

            "Kings… can't do that," Vegeta spat. "Whose brat is it?" he demanded.

            "Bardock's."

            "He- my father is a traitor??" Raditz nearly screamed. Serenity shook her head. "When you little brother was born, and your father's mate died… He tried to kill himself, and I stopped him. I didn't know what I was doing, and we bonded. It saved him, and I conceived."

            Blinks all around. Raditz loved his father, and didn't want anything to happen to him. This person had just saved Vegeta…

            "So- that is not an heir to Vegetasei?" sneered Vegeta, eyes lighting up.

            "No," Serenity whispered.

            "GOOD! We will tell no one of this until it is born! And I shall be the only heir!" he cackled, an odd gleam in his eyes. Then, oddly enough, they softened.

            "And wench- he will live… " He sniffled for a moment, and then hugged her, briefly, before running out of the gym, Raditz following.

            Serenity was left watching, rather dumbstruck.

To be continued!


	6. Chapter Six

Bloodlines VI

****

Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon do not belong to me, I make no money from this work of fanfiction.

This is dedicated to Cimorene D, who refused to give up on me.

            Bardock wondered what was wrong with him.

            Ever since he had met Serenity and bonded with her, missions had never been the same. Instead of the thrill of fighting, of getting his knuckles wet with blood… he felt anger. Pathetic anger that he was fighting people who not only couldn't give him a proper challenge, but were dying for nothing. People, not objects to hit…

            "Dammit," he muttered. This was the kind of attitude that would get him killed. Not by the enemy- they were too weak. By his own people…

            Then again, and he smirked, his 'people', his crew, were all expressing the same kind of dissatisfaction with their battles that he was. No way were they going to give up fighting period- just this useless fighting of people weaker than they were.

            "So, why are we here again?" asked Toma, fiddling with an earring.

            "We are here to clear out the planet 'cause Furiza thinks there is something about this planet that will give him psychic powers."

            "Furiza with psychic powers? Now, there is my worst nightmare come to life… on the flip side, it might help him finally figure out that his lipstick doesn't look all that great…" muttered Seripa, shuddering.

            The rest of the team looked uneasy. What had been going lately had bothered them all, and they turned to Bardock for reassurance. He had none to give.

            "I hate this as much as you. Our hands are tied. No one is strong enough to beat that asshole yet. This will make him stronger… and… " He looked away.

            "Yeah, it ain't as fun as it used to be, is it?"

            He sighed, and shook his head.

            "Tonight is the full moon on Kanasaa. We shouldn't have any problems. Let's get the chicken shit party over with…"

~*~*~*~*~*~

            Bardock stared at the moon above him, not really seeing it after a moment, as its light filled his mind and body, causing him to grow, expand, become a monstrous, hairy ape. He started on his rampage, killing heedlessly, grateful for the animal rage that blocked conscious thought. He didn't want to really remember it this time, and he let himself be subsumed by it.

            He was shocked when another image took its place.

            _Serenity was hiding, in a gardening shed._

_            She'd removed her robe, which she had taken to wearing to hide her gravid form, and it pooled, beside her feet. She'd ripped the spandex of her clothing and was gasping in pain, squatting, waiting for her child to be born._

Images slipped in between, of the occasional warrior almost getting past his defenses and fighting, while phantom pain would rip through him, causing him to become clumsy.

            _Contractions ripped through her, as she waited, waited for the king to leave on another mission._

_            She had known of her son's impending birth and all that it implied… _Implied what? He asked himself, confused. 

            _The prince was off planet… That, and Bardock's other sons…_

OTHER sons? What was she talking about?

            _Pain filled the world, and the Princess decided she would never make fun of Bardock about his link to his first mate again. _

_            Time passed…_

_            How many hours, she did not know. The pains would go and come, getting worse and worse. Then her water broke, soaking her legs, and she shook from the pain._

_            She couldn't hold it anymore- she screamed, a long, harsh wail that cut the air._

Bardock bellowed, a bestial cry, swatting at the warriors sent to stop him.

            Suddenly there was a shiver in the air around him, and he turned to see the full moon start dip beneath the horizon.

            In his mind, as he dropped to his knees, he could feel her first born pass from her body, squalling, protesting its abrupt arrival into this cold uncaring universe from his mother's warm, safe womb.

            The fight was over, so he thought.

~*~*~*~*~

            Images swirled through his mind like shards of glass. His son, growing up and facing… something. Serenity, wearing a strange skirt…

            The most terrifying image was that of the planet Vegeta being destroyed…

            No- it couldn't be… It couldn't!

            The images continued, unabated, not matter how much he wished for them to stop. Serenity, in the arms of a masked man, his son…

            His son? 

            The boy in Serenity's arms was… his?

            He wished he could feel tears going down his face right then…

            His eyes… his eyes… where open?

            Suddenly he realized he was in a healing tank- and memories flooded him. He remembered easily defeating the fish people- then remembered one attacking him.

            It told him that he had the ability to see the future now… He tried to grapple with this memory as the tank drained. It had to be a load of shit. It had to be.

            "Commander Bardock, sir!" came the voice of an attendant. He turned, and saw the alien gesturing for him to get his close.

            "Where's my crew?" Bardock asked, still somewhat disoriented.

            "Oh, they decided they could handle this job without you and left already. Hey, did you hear about…?" The rest of the attendant's words were reduced to background noise as a sudden terror ripped its way through Bardock's heart. They were in danger…

            Without another word he took off to the laugh pad, but stopped dead when he heard a baby cry. Staring, wondering where this strange sense of fate or doom, or whatever it was, came from; he walked down to see a baby in an incubator, screaming at the top of his lungs.

            "His name is Kakarrot," said a voice from behind him, and Bardock whirled around to look, freezing when he saw whom it was.

            "Serenity…" he whispered, and pulled her close. He buried his nose in her hair, inhaling her scent, then pulled away, and looked at her.

            "Is… is he?" he choked out, looking back at the boy… who looked exactly like him, except for a faint crescent moon on his forehead.

            Serenity smiled and nodded at him. He swallowed, hard.

            "The King, does he know?"

            "He hasn't been here, though he is due back later today," she whispered. "I'll take care of it."

            Bardock felt the sudden terror hit him again at her words, and looked around. "I have to go; my crew needs me."

            Serenity didn't say anything, as she watched his back, while he turned and ran to the pods. She wondered if she should cry for them, and leaned back against a wall, weariness overwhelming her. Oddly, she felt like laughing, and went around to get her little boy, who had stopped crying when he saw her, and cooed. He was wild, almost savage with anyone else, but with her, he was the sweetest of babies. She smiled down at him as she pulled down her top to nurse him, and he hungrily ate, making little grunts of happiness.

            The many doctors and nurses that ran around, tending the babies looked at her oddly, but knew now to leave her alone. This beautiful alien was too kind to question for long.

            Kakarrot was finished with his breakfast, and yawned, cuddling up against her, and she smiled down at him again, even as another wave of weakness washed over her. Whimpering, she closed her eyes, feelings and images from Bardock assaulting her.

            _How can this be?_ She asked herself, realizing that some of the flashes from him were of their son- grown, the way she had seen him, only from the from the confusion in his mind, he didn't really know this.

            Sighing, she managed to stumble out of the nursery, clutching her son to her chest. It seemed to take forever, while she struggled down those halls, to the place where babies were sent out to other planets.

            "Oh, great Serenity," she murmured, tears streaking her face. "They're all dead!" The shock and mental anguish that assaulted her mind from Bardock's caused her to double over, and she could feel a soft whimper from Kakarrot as he looked up at her. He started to cry- his mommy, the one who smelled nice and was warm, and gave him food and love, was sad, and that was bad. Even a few hours old, and he already knew it. Serenity paused to comfort him.

            She was so tired…

            Blood hadn't stopped its trickle down her legs, since the baby's birth. She'd been hemorrhaging- and she hadn't done anything to stop it. She knew it was a matter of time now.

            No one had stopped her thus far…

            "WOMAN? What are you doing here?" yelled a young voice.

            Turning weakly, she saw Prince Vegeta, accompanied, as always, by Raditz. His official bodyguard was Nappa- a large, stupid brute. But Raditz, while weaker, was smarter, something even so young a prince could appreciate.

            Serenity quickly put Kakarrot in a pod. "I am saving the future," she murmured, with absolute certainty. She staggered over to the controls, and gave the coordinates for earth. There was loud squalling from the pod.

            Prince Vegeta looked in at the baby. "Why are you sending him off? My father is so stupid he'd never notice this wasn't his child…"

            Sighing wearily, Serenity stroked her son's face one last time. "If you value your life, Vegeta, Raditz, get off world, now. I don't know how much time there is left. Something is going to happen, I don't know what."

            Both looked at her skeptically.

            Frowning at them, she sent all the love she could to his mind, comfort and peace. He would be safe soon, and she prayed that whoever found him would love him like she did.

            Then she closed the pod, and stabbed her finger at the launch button.

            Her son went streaking away, and she collapsed to the ground, wailing, because she would never see him again…

            "What is your PROBLEM woman?" Vegeta snorted, looking at her.

            She turned to glare at him. "I am saving your life. Vegeta- I don't know what the future holds for you… " Without warning she hugged him, hugged him tightly while he struggled, and slowly accepted her embrace. He'd never been hugged before, but he liked the feeling it gave him. He inhaled her sweet fragrance, feeling for the first time, loved and safe…

            Serenity took the opportunity to teleport him away, to safety.

            Then she smiled at Raditz, and did the same to him. 

            Her vision went gray with the loss of strength, and she held on to consciousness with her teeth and toenails, and struggled to get to someplace… anyplace.

            She finally blacked out, on a stairwell, seeing Bardock fighting for his life, in her mind's eye…

~*~*~*~*~

            "Kitten?" asked a voice, calling her back from the flat, gray place she had been in. She didn't really want to go- she hurt too much.

            "SERENITY!" said that same, shaky voice, and she opened her eyes, to see Bardock, a bloody mess.

            "Oh, Bardock, I am so sorry…" she murmured, and touched his face. She couldn't heal him- she had no strength left for anything, even keeping her own heart beating for much longer.

            He didn't seem to know that. He hefted her arm over his shoulder, and dragged her up to standing, and got them both to a balcony.

            "Furiza is coming," he coughed, blood frothing his lips. Serenity nodded.

            "I can still stop him," she heard him gasp, and she shook her head. 

            "Love… you can't. You can't… "

            "I must! I can't let him destroy my world!"

            She grabbed his face then, and kissed him, holding him with everything she had. 

            He kissed her back, just as fervently.

            Both of them panted as they pulled away.

            "This is goodbye, you know," she whispered, leaning into his shoulder. "You'll die."

            Bardock closed his eyes, knowing what she said he was true, though he stubbornly denied it.

            "I have to try, kitten. I have to."

            Serenity smiled, and Bardock saw how pale she was for the first time, how sickly… 

            "Both of us will, won't we," he murmured, as she fell into his arms, no longer seeing anything.

            He could feel her spirit straining against the bonds that held it. He closed his eyes, and hugged her, tears and blood masking his face. 

            She said something, and he leaned over, to hear her. "Bardock… take… favor with you, and my love…" her fingers plucked weakly at her clothing, and he gently tore a bit of it free, and clutched it tightly.

            "Go… my Knight…" she said inaudibly, and then her soul slipped free, leaving her frail mortal shell behind.

            Bardock keened, head tossed back, and he placed her on the ground. His world was crumbling around him, and he shot into the air, the focus of his rage in front of him.

            An army stood between him and his goal. He didn't care- armies meant nothing to him. He plowed in.

            He saw nothing but the massive ship in front of him. Struggling, he stopped when it opened, revealing the pale, horned being that was the source of his nightmares.

            "Furiza!" he roared, staring into his eyes. "I have something to tell you, maggot! YOU WILL DIE! If not by my hand, then that of Kakarrot! KAKARROT IS COMING! "

            He barely flinched when Furiza raised his finger, and a ball of ki grew at the tip of it.

            He charged up a blast, knowing that it would be like spitting on a fire to put it out… a kitten hissing at a tiger. The blast was tossed- and absorbed into the massive energy ball…

            _That bastard kills his own people like they are nothing- even his elites…_ Bardock thought, and peace fell over him.

            "Our redemption for the sin of working for you is coming, monster," he said calmly, even as the explosion caught him up, and he was consumed…

            He smiled up into the eyes of his killer.

            "KAKARROT!"

To be continued.


	7. Chapter 7

Bloodlines VII

****

Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon belong to people other than me, and I make no money from this work of fanfic, which is for entertainment only, and no money is made at all.

            Death wasn't anything like he'd thought it would be. In fact, Bardock had only given the most vague of thoughts to death- his people didn't have any set beliefs about it. In fact, he'd pretty much thought that it was closing your eyes, then nothing. 

            The last thing he'd expected was to be standing in line somewhere, surrounded by what looked to be a lot of very fluffy clouds. 

            "Hey, why do you get to have your body?" someone asked, and he looked over to see some huge alien with a horn in the middle of its head, staring at him.

            "Because I asked that he be allowed to keep it, at least for a while," said a regal, commanding voice. The blue thing paled, and stuttered an apology, and scurried away.

            Bardock whipped his head around, and stared.

            "Serenity…" he whispered, and then realized it wasn't her.

            Her, who? He couldn't remember.

            It was a tall, graceful woman, hair as silver as sun lit clouds. She was dressed in a gown of silver white, which fit her like a sheath. Without thinking, or realizing he had even done so, he had sank to one knee, head bowed before this goddess like woman.

            "Rise, my Daughter's Champion," she whispered, and smiled at him. At that moment, he could have thrown himself to the ground and worshipped her. The words she spoke had no meaning to him. 

            Her hand rested lightly on his head.

            "A good man," she whispered. "You did what I asked of you, and more. Worn and weathered, turned by fire into the finest steel, yet you still had a heart." She shook her head, looking amazed.

            Then she grinned, oddly impish. "Not for my sake, though, but out of love for my daughter…"

            He felt himself drowning in her eyes. The pain that had been lurking in the back of his mind was being eased and soothed by her presence. It was a balm that almost filled the empty space in his heart.

            Talking his hand, the glorious woman led him away.

            "Bardock!" called a voice. Looking up from his half daze, Bardock realized he was in a beautiful wilderness- a field, with trees and mountains in the distance, and his friends were there. 

            Of the goddess who led him there, there was no sign.

            "Bardock…" whispered a voice, and he turned, to see his mate…

            "Bara!" he exclaimed, and ran to hug his beautiful Saiya-jin mate.

            "I missed you so!" she whispered into his ear, as they both cried. The rest of Bardock's crew joined the reunion, and they wept, all of them, grateful to be together again. Time stood still, as friends and lovers were reunited. They sat, and started to talk, remembering their lives together. The sun was pleasantly warm, a refreshing breeze blowing, as they recounted the events of their lives…

            "Yeah, you remember the time that you let that alien bite you in the ass, Bardock?" laughed Bara, sitting beside him.

            He choked. "Yes, and you will never let me forget it!" he snorted, and they all laughed again. 

            Even as he laughed, he looked around, wondering why it felt like something was wrong. There seemed to be a gap in his group. One that shouldn't have been there; silently he counted heads.             Everyone was there…

            Why did everything seem so odd, all of a sudden? It was like there was a piece of his heart gone…

            Holding his mate to him, he took a deep breath, getting her scent again… The smell was wrong.

            Half panicked, he reached out to feel her through their bond, but it wasn't there any more…

            Now completely panicked, he stood up, looking around at all of them. Little things started to click in his mind. Scars from mate's face were gone, as were others from his team. Reaching up, he felt his own face… and the scar was gone.

            "What's going on?" he yelled, looking around. He then realized that they had been talking for what HAD to have been hours, and it was still daylight.

            The others blinked at him, looking confused. "What do you mean?"

            "None of us have scars! I can't feel you, Bara, and it hasn't gotten dark yet!" Looking around, he noticed that none of the plants and animals was from Vegeta-sei. 

            Confusion settled on all of their faces. They started to look from one to another, hoping that somehow one of the others would know what was going on. 

            "What were we doing before we got here?" asked Seripa, haltingly. They all were confused. 

            Toma answered. "We were on our way to Meat-sei…"

            "Yeah, I remember that, but I remember fighting them as well," answered Seripa, shaking her head. "And then… and then…" Her eyes went huge and round.

            "Furiza's elites," she whispered, voice starting to shake. "They said they had come to help, and we let our guard down…"

            Toma nodded, slowly, his face looking shell-shocked. All around, the crew wore similar expressions.

            "We've got to get out of here," someone whispered, and as a group they moved, scouting, each one knowing what the other would do. However, Bardock did not see the sad look that she threw him.

            "Hey, Bardock!" shouted Seripa, and pointed up. Above them- how it got there, they had no idea, was a vortex.

            "I guess we go through it?" Toma yelled back, and headed towards it.

            "But we don't know- oh, damn, what's the point? Let's go!" Bardock roared, and powered up, he and his crew shooting up and through the portal…

            The whole universe seemed to go TILT, then spin like a washing machine. Then they were spat out… somewhere.

            Bardock hit the ground, causing a small crater to be formed. The crater got larger as his crewmates all fell on top of him, with a following secession of booms.

            No one said anything, as they just moaned and grumbled, twitching and looking around.

            "Where are we?" mumbled Seripa, looking around. 

            Bara blinked. "I think we are at the Grand Kai's," she said, in a tone of wonder.

            "How do you know that, Bara?" asked Bardock, rubbing his head, and looking around. 

            "Never mind that, what's going on over there?" asked Toma, struggling to his feet and picking up Seripa, who smacked him for falling on her.

            Bardock had now stopped seeing the little birdies, and was able to pay attention to the sounds the others were paying attention to. It was dull roaring…

            "I guess we go there?" asked Bardock, grunting and getting to his feet. Everyone looked at him and nodded. They seemed to be somewhere… That had a large crowd. All around them were people, who held themselves like fighters.

            "Man, its an arena!" called Toma to his leader, over the massive din. Bardock looked back at him, and nodded. 

            "Welcome," said a familiar voice, and Bardock turned, eyes widening. 

            "YOU!" they all screamed, looking at her, while the woman smiled benignly.

            All but Bara, who smiled faintly back at her, and knelt.

            "Your majesty," she whispered, eyes sad.

            "Lady Rose," Serenity murmured softly, and tilted her head up. "I know this has been hard for you."

            The lovely Saiya-jin woman sobbed softly. She was not given to displays of emotion, though this was not a usual case.

            "What the hell is going on here?" roared Bardock, looking back and forth between his mate and the tall woman, that he vaguely remembered for some reason.

            "I hope you can forgive them," said the moon goddess said softly, placing her hand on Bara's head.

            "What is there to forgive?" she said softly, eyes red. "She saved him from coming with me- let him live longer, and was able to redeem us. The price is a pittance…"

            Serenity closed her eyes. "I know the pain you feel…"

            Looking up, she beckoned them over. "There is someone you should meet, Bardock. You may all come with me, if you wish."

            Without seeing if they would follow, Serenity walked to the arena, and the group of explorers just shrugged at each other.

            "What the hell have we got to loose?" asked Seripa, and they saw Bara had already trotted off after her.

            The area opened up into the massive arena, and they saw warriors there- two, one an alien of a type they had never seen before, and the other was clearly a Saiya-jin.

            He looked very familiar.

            The entire troop looked at him in shocked surprise, reaching for scouters they didn't have to take readings of this guy's power- seeing him do things that was for them, basically impossible. 

            Then he burst into flames, hair turning gold, eye's teal like a summer's sky. 

            It was that which triggered Bardock's memory completely- gold hair.

            "KITTEN!" he barked, and the last few moments of his life paraded themselves before him, and he snarled.

            "Where is she? Why did you take our memories? What is going on?"

            "Peace," Serenity answered. "You remember who I am, do you not? You are dead, as am I. However, unlike you, I am a goddess who took mortal form. So I have a few… perks." Her lips quirked. "My daughter…" Pain filled her as she said that. "I could not deny her life. The goddess of the moon, I was to undergo all of her aspects, as the maiden, and then birthing my beautiful daughter, become mother, and in death- become the Crone, she who leads to the afterlife. Then begin the cycle again."

            "Lady," said Toma, in annoyance. "That don't mean crap to us, and what does that have to do with the kitten?"

            Again, that enigmatic smile. "It does." Her eyes clouded. "As a mortal goddess, I would have been reborn- but because of the attack of Metallia, I sacrificed my chance at rebirth for my daughter, so that she might continue her life with her friends, and get another chance at a peaceful life…"

            "So- so she was reborn?" Bardock said softly, eyes narrowed, still looking at the young warrior with that oh so familiar face. "And- my son?" he said.

            "He has died, but not before leaving two children of his own."

            Everyone in that little circle looked at her and yelled "WHAT?"

            A silly giggle escaped the woman's lips. "Your son, my grandson, has saved his home many times, and was the strongest warrior of his generation- only surpassed by HIS son. It was he that brought about the defeat of Furiza, and beat Prince Vegeta easily."

            Bardock gaped, and Bara smiled faintly. Nothing had been mentioned of the children she had borne, and she really didn't want to know. They had never been given the chance to change like she had after her death, had been raised pure Saiya-jins. Her heart ached, knowing that…

            "Most people are sent to heaven, hell, or cleansed of their memories to be born again. I thought you might like a chance to settle things before that. I owe you that much, for your aid."

            "Kitten…" Bardock stated. "Can I see her again?"

            Serenity looked at him and shook her head. "She has been sent to her home universe. She will be reborn in the future, to live peacefully."

            "Peaceful my ass! Your people couldn't protect her then, what makes you think they could now?" he demanded, getting into her face. 

            "There is no way to truly know the future," she answered calmly. "However, she has become a warrior from her time with you- those instincts will still be with her. Her senshi have become more powerful from their experiences. We were caught unprepared. There is also the matter that no Saiya-jins exist in that universe. Their magic should suffice."

            Bardock was about to reply scathingly but was interrupted by Serenity gesturing. "I assume you wish to meet your son, the Super Saiya-jin?"

            The scout was once again caught flat-footed, and could only nod. Trailing behind the lady in silver, they made their way down to the arena, where two short, beetle like people were arguing with each other, while the fight continued.  

            "PIKKON WILL WIN!"

            "GOKU WILL WIN!"

            Approaching them, Serenity cleared her throat. 

            She was ignored. Raising an eyebrow, Serenity cleared her throat again, trying to get their attention.

            When she was yet again ignored, she waved her hand, and abruptly the two beetle people were dumped on their heads.

            "Wah, wah?" they exclaimed, and looked up at her, antennae bent and mangled from the fall. "OH! Serenity!" cried one, the bluer of the two.

            "Hey, who is this hussy?" said the other, and Bardock's eyes twitched. He was about to straighten him out when Serenity herself turned to him, and locked him with a too polite smile.

            "East Kai," she answered," always a pleasure." She then gave him a LOOK that would have withered granite. He swallowed hard and shuffled away. He looked terrified.

            "We are here to see my grandson when he has defeated Pikkon," she said graciously, and then turned to look back at the tournament, where Goku had just used his super kaioken, and blasted Pikkon…

            "I think he is about ready to come over now!" said the North Kai, automatically shuffling over to do her request. Bardock was impressed. Apparently, even dead, this woman commanded great respect.

            Blinking he looked up, and saw the vision he had been given before death, come to visit him in vivid color. 

            "Hey, are these the people you said wanted to meet me, King Kai?" said a bubbly voice of a young man. Looking into that face, Bardock was struck by the similarities between his son and himself- and his son and Serenity. Love of life, innocence, intelligence that wasn't immediately recognizable, and kindness, all there.

            "Yes, they are. This lad here," he pointed to Bardock," is your father, and that stately lady there," he pointed to Serenity," is your grandmother."

            Goku's eyes widened to the point of nearly bugging out of his head. "Really? COOL! Its great to meet you! Man, you look just like me!" he exclaimed, rushing up to Bardock and looking at him from all angles, plainly amazed at the similarities.

            Bardock was hard put to restrain his laughter.

            "Hey, aren't grannies supposed to look older than you are? I mean, Grandma, you look younger than I do!"

            The queen smiled at him. "I have been dead for a while now, Goku," she answered him, amused, and lovingly. 

            Goku wasn't paying attention to her words the, just looking back and forth between the queen and Bardock in confusion. "You don't look all that much like your mom, Dad," he said in confusion, scratching his head.

            "I am your mother's mother," Serenity responded, and Goku brightened, and then frowned again. 

            "My mother? Why did I never think of her…" he muttered, eyes narrowing, thinking. "Where is she? You both died when Vegetasei was destroyed, didn't you? I've wanted to meet you both, talk to you, for a long time now."

            Bardock found him was choked up. 

            "You've done well, boy," he said huskily. He wasn't used to expressing his feelings.

            Looking into those dark eyes, regret washed over him, of years missed, of never getting the chance to be what they SHOULD have been.

            Serenity watched the exchange silently, the grinned as Goku suddenly glomped onto Bardock, hugging him with all his strength. 

            "Its good to meet you, Dad," he said, bruising his ribs.

            Hesitantly, not sure how he would be received, Bardock circled his arms around the young man, holding him like he would break.

            Goku let go, and sniffed loudly. "Where is Mom? I'd like to meet her too," he asked, looking around. 

            "She has gone on to be reborn, Goku," Serenity replied. "Her destiny has yet to be fulfilled, and she must do this, for the future of her universe."

            Goku frowned. Ignoring the greater implications of the queen's statement, he wondered," So, I'll never meet her?"

            Serenity gave him an odd look. "I don't know."

            "Why not?" he asked, puzzled. This woman seemed so wise, how could she not know?

            Patiently, she explained her tale, about how his parents met, what they were originally going to do to his mother, and the end destruction of Vegetasei, and his mother's last minute rescue of him, sending him to earth.

            "So, I really AM an Earthling!" he declared, and Serenity smiled widely at his enthusiasm.

            "Yes, dear, in every way that counts."

            "I'm a Prince too?" the young Saiya-jin asked, brow furrowed. Serenity nodded.

            "COOL! That means Vegeta doesn't have a reason to pick on me anymore!"

            Serenity took in the expressions of surprise on their faces, and laughed. "He was dropped on his head as a child- but it doesn't mean that much, ne?" Walking over to the young man, she kisses his forehead, and a crescent moon briefly appeared. 

            Smiling into his eyes. "Your Saiya-jin blood is strong, but I think mine has a tiny edge," she said, almost like a blessing. 

            "What about Kitten?" Bardock snarled, drawing the attention back to him. "You honestly can't believe that those dinky little girls are enough to protect her!"

            Serenity raised a graceful eyebrow. "Would you follow her there? Be born anew, and forget who you are where? That would be the price of following her."

            Bardock drew himself up- he always felt like he had to look up to see her, even though they were of a height. 

            "I would do that even if it cost me my soul. I'd willingly leave behind what I was, all of it, its not much to loose, to get the chance to protect her."

            The others looked at him… their expressions were those of tired, battered warriors.

            "Bardock… don't we deserve a chance to rest?" asked Toma softly. Bardock looked at him like he was insane- then really looked at them. He realized that they had all been through a kind of hell. Himself included. However, that didn't stop him.

            "I can send you to be reborn," Serenity said, almost diffidently. "You will get the chance to decide your own lives, differently than you were here. If you need them, you will regain your powers. But only then."

            "I'll do it," Bardock said without hesitation. A gentle hand took his- and Bara smiled.

            "Someone has to keep you out of trouble- and I would like to thank this kitten in person."

            The rest of his crew sighed. "You'll need more than that, Bara- it would take a herd of mad Oozaru to keep HIM out of trouble," muttered Seripa.

            "You all would be reborn?" asked Serenity, surprised. There were nods all around.

            "Send us wherever, Lady," Toma added. "Sitting around dead doesn't really suit us."

            Then Serenity laughed. It was beautiful, like silver wind chimes, and she seemed to glow.

            "Then be well, all of you, and good luck. Perhaps, after this, we will meet again."

            The light seemed to get brighter as they stared at her. Bardock realized that it wasn't really coming from anywhere in particular, but increased until it was blinding.

            Wincing, he put up his hand to shield his eyes, and the sound of the crowd faded, like in the distance, though he couldn't remember moving…

            "What…?"

            Then nothing.

To be continued.


	8. Chapter Eight

Bloodlines VIII

  
  


Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon do not belong to me, and I make no money from this work of fanfiction.

  
  
  
  


Goku sat wondering, as he held his youngest son in his arms while he slept, what it was like to have known your parents. Meeting his father in the afterlife had been a wake up call, to say the least. He finally understood why Chichi wanted him to be a father, as she put it. 

Sighing, he cuddled the young boy, so powerful, but so fragile and precious to him. Goten squirmed a little then settled back to sleep. Goku envied his little boy, in a wistful sort of way. While Goku had been dead most of his life, he had known, always about his parents, had his big brother and mother, mentors and teachers in the form of Piccolo, Krillin, even Vegeta. Goku had lived alone.

The older woman, who said she was his grandmother, had filled him with awe. Yet she had also put him at ease. Sure, he had heard stories of grandma's that made cookies, but she wasn't that kind of grandma. She was the type that would change the universe if you needed her to, for the sake of those she cared for.

He blinked and nearly bolted up, before remembering the sleeping child in his lap. 

She had!

She had sent both his parents to another dimension, to live happy lives. Goku's eyes went wide as saucers as he thought-

He could meet them. He could show them his family, his children and wife, and they could be a family. The more he thought about it, the greater the appeal. Maybe, maybe…

Gently he picked up Goten then carried him to bed, tucking him in. Then he went outside so not to wake him or his wife.

"Hey, King Kai!" he whispered, his tone bright despite his whispered volume. 

In another dimension, a dead god answered, chipper as ever. 

"Hey, Goku! How are you doing? Happy to be alive again?"

"Oh yeah, King Kai, its great! I love being with my family again. Chichi has done a wonderful job with the boys… I was just thinking-"

"Oh no, here it gets dangerous," Kai interjected.

"That I was would like to introduce my mother and my family. Do you know where they are?"

The beetle-like blue god was silent for several moments.

"Why do you want to find them?" he said finally, with extreme reluctance. 

"Because I want to meet them of course," Goku reasoned, seeing the perfect logic in his argument. King Kai groaned quietly. There was no way he could argue with Goku about this. If Kai didn't help him, Goku would go anyways. He'd find a way, somehow.

"Is anyone going with you?" Kai asked, hoping for some damage control. The Super Saiya-jin scratched his head.

"We-ell, I don't know… I hadn't thought about it."

"You might want to take someone along, you know," Kai asked, trying to sound casual. "Wouldn't you want to share this with one of your sons?" 

Goku paused to blink, then blink again. 

"WOW! King Kai, you're a genius! I'll take Goten-"

"No, no," the god interrupted hastily. "You need to spend more time with Gohan. He's been feeling abandoned lately, hasn't he?"

"Uh," Goku said, confused by his friend's behavior. "Okay, sure, I'll take him along! This'll be fun!"

Kai just shook his head, even though Goku couldn't see it. "She is here-" he said to Goku, showing him the feel of her energy. "You'll have to teleport here to be able to get the rest of the way there."

"Okay, I'll get Gohan!" Goku said enthusiastically.

"Hey, let him get some sleep first! Its not like she's going anywhere, you can wait until morning!"

"Oh yeah!"

Kai sweat dropped. "Goku…"

~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Usagi swung her satchel back and forth, smiling, humming a tune and generally happy to be alive. The sun was warm without being hot, school was over for the week, she had her friend Naru with her and they were heading to the arcade. No youma had attacked in weeks, and she had made a B on her last test. Life was good!

"Hey, Usagi, let's stop by my place first, okay? I need to get some change for the arcade," Neru asked, and Usagi nodded. Both girls detoured a little, walking to Neru's apartment building and going up the stairs. It wasn't that far to go- there was the door-

In front of it was an elegant arrangement of flowers, making both of the girls pause. 

Neru hesitantly approached, hands trembling, to pick it up. Taking a deep inhale, the delicate scent wreathed her, and she opened her eyes which seemed to full of tears.

"ONIICHAN!" she cried joyfully, bursting inside her apartment and looking around. When no one was there, she sniffed piteously.

"Oniichan?"

Usagi let out a shriek as she was picked up from behind, drumming her fists on the solid back of the man that had picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. He laughed madly and rushed in to hug Neru with his free arm, swinging both girls around before putting them both on their feet.

"BRAD!"

"ONIICHAN!"

With a hoot, all three glomped each other, both girls babbling questions as once while they laughed. 

"Hold on, hold on!" Brad said, his American accent thickening his Japanese slightly. 

"What are you doing back in Japan?" Neru asked, arms around his waist and giggling. 

"I finished my tour of duty back in the states," he said, stroking her hair. "I wanted to see how my best girl was doing," he said, grinning. 

Usagi smiled at Neru's half brother. Neru's father was an American businessman, who, after the death of his first wife, permanently moved to Japan with his son. He married again, to Neru's mother. Brad had always been mad at his father for replacing his mother, though he doted on Neru. The boy had always been odd- one of his favorite hobbies was flower arranging- but his genius had always been obvious. He had run away at the age of sixteen, and was now older than Mamoru at 25. He had joined the American Marines as a medic.

He'd been Usagi's first major crush, and had left both girls, at the age of 7, heartbroken when he had left. His only contact with his family had been letters, with no return address. He had made Neru promise never to tell what he was doing to her parents- but she had confided everything in Usagi. It had been through his letters that both girls had seen the world. 

Neru was crying hysterically, clinging to her brother for all she was worth. Meanwhile, Usagi had gone silent, smiling.

They went quiet for a moment.

"Taidama," Brad said, simply.

"Okaeri nasai," his little sister answered, tearfully.

"Okaeri nasai, Brad-chan," Usagi stated as well, a mysterious smile on her face as she looked into the tall spikey haired young man's face.

He smiled back, and there was something there that touched their hearts.

  
  


To be continued!


End file.
